Apparatus for hajstdlihg railway ties



Nov. 9 1926.

1,606,031 R. s. HURLEY APPARATUS FOR HANDLING RAILWAY TIES Filed Dec. 24, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 9,1926. 1,606,031

R. S. HURLEY APPARATUS FGR HANDLING RAILWAY TIES Filed .Dec. 24, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor jf bart Hat/Z0 Patented Nov. 9, 1926.

ROBERT s. rIUn nY, or 'ronnno, o nro.

ararnnnrns non HANDLING RAILWAY T ns.

Application filed December 24, 1923. Serial No. 682,372.

This invention relates to an apparatus for handling railway ties, and constitutes a part of a complete apparatus or system for pick ing up ties which are piled in ricks for seasoning in a storage field and transferring and loading them into small narrow gage trains, which trams are then run into treating cylinders wherein the ties are impregnated with creosote. In practice the tie ricks are about 12 to 20 feet high and 410 feet long, and opposite one end of the ricks are standard gage tracks on which the ties are brought into the storage field, and opposite the other end of the links are the tram tracks; these tracks dividing the field into narrow yards. In some yards the standard gage tracks are equipped with a third rail to accommodate the narrow gage trams.

In an application filed by me on the 18th day of June, 1923., Serial No. (5459M, I have disclosed and claimed an apparatus designed to facilitate and expedite the transfer of the ties from the ricks onto the ground adjacent to the tram car. The subject matter of the present application is ancillary and complementary to the appa: ratus of the aforesaid application, being desi ned to facilitate and expedite the loading of the ties from the ground onto the tram car.

In the accompanying drawings I have ilustr-ated a practical and approved embodiment of my invention, and referring thereto- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved apparatus, showing also a fragment of a tie rick and, in end elevation, a partly loaded tram;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the arts shown in Fig. 1 as viewed from the rig t of the latter figure; 7

Fig. 3 is an enlar ed detail View in front elevation of one end portion of the trolley track rail, a fragment of one of the rail supporting posts, and an adjustable bracket through which the end of the track rail is connected to the post; v

Fig. 4 is a top plan of the parts shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectionon the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view showing a part of the teetering bar that is suspended from the trolley track rail;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged crosssection on the line7-7 of Fig, 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged front elevation, broken out, of the trolley and a portion of the trolley track rail;

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the trolley, viewed from the right of Fig. 8, with the track rail and one of the trolley wheels appearing in section;

Fig. 10 is a vertical longitudinal section through the right hand end portion of the trolley shown in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 11 is transverse vertical section taken on the line 11-11 of Fi 10.

Referring to the drawings, t ere is shown at12 a fragment of a tie rick, at 13 a narrow gage tram track, andat 14; a tram traveling on the track 13. Tram cars used for this purpose are very simple and commonly comprise merely a truck 15, a pair of longitudinally spaced cradles 16, and semicircular hoops 17 mounted upon and connecting the upper'ends of the cradles 16 to confine the load against lateral spilling.

At a point opposite the delivery side of the rick 12 and spanning-the tram track there is mounted a vertical frame structure comprising, herein shown, a pair of tubular metal posts 18, the lower ends of which are anchored to the ground by spikes 19 driven into the ground and formed with apertured heads 19 encircling thelower ends of the posts;cside and rear brace rods 20 and 21, respectively formed with pointed hook-shaped lower ends 20 and 21 driven into the ground and at their upper ends pivotally connected to collars 22 and 23 encircling the posts; and a vertically adjustable trolley track rail or bar 24 spanning the space between the posts 18 and at its ends slidably mounted upon the latter through sleeve. brackets next described.

The structural details of these sleeve brackets are clearly shown in Figs; 3, 4, and 5, wherein 25 designates a sleeve sliclably fittingthe post 18 and formed on one side with a vertical slot 26 (Figqet), and with a pair of spaced lateral lugs 2'7 on opposite sides of said slot, respectively, in and between which lugs are journaled a pair of anti-friction wheels 28 projecting through the slot in rolling contact with the post 18.

On its opposite side the sleeve 25 is formed with a similar vertical slot 29 (Fig. 4), on opposite sides of which slot are a pair or lateral lugs 30, in and between which is pivoted a bracket locking cam 31 equipped with an operating handle 32. Manifestly, by depressing the handle 32 the sleeve bracket is securely locked on the post, and by raising the handle 32, the bracket may be easily slid up or down on the post to any desired position and then relocked.

Midway between the lugs 27 and 30 are formed on the sleeve a pair of parallel wings 33 preferably formed with outwardly directed flanges 84 at their upper ends (Fig. said wings being suitably spaced to receive between them the web of the I beam track rail or bar 24, and the flanges 34 supporting the head of said rail. To lock the rail to the bracket I have shown upper and lower screws 85 and 36, the former (which may be omitted) passing through registering apertures in the wings and rail web, and the latter passing through registering apertures in the wings and a vertical notch 87 (Fig. 3) in the lower edge of the rail; it being noted that the, lower head of the rail is cut away throughout the portion of the latter which enters the wings of the bracket. On the upper end of the bracket is a laterally extending trolley stop lug In association with the frame structure herein-above described, I employ a trolley mounted and traveling on the rail 24, and constituting both a carrier for transporting a tie sidewise to a position for loading the same onto the tram and also a teetering and balancing device to facilitate the manual tilting and endwise propulsion of the tie onto the tram; and I also preferably employ a hinged teetering bar located adjacent to the side of the tie rick which facilitates the manual transfer of the tie onto the trolley. First describing this last-mentioned stationary teetering bar, which is shown generally in Figs. 1 and 2 and, as to certain structural details, in F 6 and 7', this includes a bailshaped rod 38 pivotally suspended at its ends on a pair of hanger brackets 89 that are secured to the bottom of the track rail 24. Mounted on the horizontal member of the bail 38 is a sleeve 40. The rod 38 is formed at intervals with tapped transverse apertures 41 (Fig. 7 and the sleeve is formed with plain apertures 42 registering with the apertures 41; and through said apertures are passed screws 43 that project on the forward side ofthe sleeve 40 and are formed with sharpened ends 43. Articulated to the bail rod 38 between the arms of the latter and the (ill ends of the sleeve 40 is-a V-shaped strut or support 44 formed with a pointed lower end 45 adapted to be driven into the ground or other suitable support.

Mounted to travel back and forth on the 'for antifriction wheels or rollers 51 mounted on shafts Extending between and through the filler-blocks 49 1s a shaft 53, threaded at its projecting ends to receive confining nuts 54; and on this shaft 53, just inwardly of the inner ends of the fillerblocks, are a pair of anti-friction wheels 55 on which are mounted the internally countersunk end portions 56 of a roller 56 (Fig. 10). The peripheral surface of roller 56 is preferably knurled or otherwise roughened. To limit the turning movement of roller 56 to one direction (a clockwise direction viewing Fig. 11) I provide an ordinary ball ratchet 57 between the inner end of filler-block 49 and the countersunk end 56 of roller 56.

The wheels 51 of the trolley are centered and guided on the upper surface of the track-rail 24 by means of a low flat strip 58 :siecured to the latter, as clearly shown in To prevent side'wise tipping or tilting of the trolley on its track under end thrusts on a tie supported on the trolley, I form the forward limb of each end frame member 46 with an inwardly turned extension 59 (Fig. 9) of its lower end which engages beneath the head of the track-rail 24, and I also form the rear limb of each end frame member 46 with a downwardly and inwardly inclined extension 60, on which is preferably mounted an anti-friction wheel 61 formed with a transversely flat tread, one edge of which engages with the under side of the head of the track-rail and the other edge of which engages with the web of the track rail, all as clearly shown in Fig. 9.

The front frame-bar 47 of the trolley is designed to serve as a sort of auxiliary or ancillary teetering bar in relation to the bar 40, and for this purpose it is preferably provided with a row of spikes or teeth 62.

In the operation of loading an empty tram car, the trolley track rail 24 is moved to its lowest position on the posts 18 determined 2 by the collars 22. The trolley is slid along the track toward the rick from which the ties to be loaded are taken to approximately the position illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 and the jointed frame carrying the teetering bar 40 is freed from the ground and allowed to swing back between or beyond the plane of the posts 18 where it is out of the way during the first part of the loading of the empty car. A tie, such as that shown at T in full lines in Fig. 1, which has been delivered from the rick to the proper position in front of the trolley track 24, and is leaning against the rick. is tilted to an upright position in front of the trolley and is then tilted forwardly to lie on the teeting bar 47 of the latter. The workman then swings the lower portion of the tie upwardly, the teeth of the teetering bar holdingthe tie from slipping, down, until the lower surface of the tie comes to rest on the rough surface of the roller 56 in an approximately horizontal position. The trolley and its load are then slid along the rail to'a position in front of the tram, whereupon a forward push on the rearend of the tie lands it on the tram. The anti-friction roller 56, supporting most of the weight of the tie, makes this last operation a comparatively light and easy one; and since the roller cannot turn backwards and its rough surface engages the tie under considerable friction, the tie will not slide downwardly and rearwardly before it is fully raised to its discharging position.

In this manner the ties are successively delivered onto the tram car until the latter has been loaded to substantially theheight of the trolley rail. The latter isthen raised to the extent of the height of a horizontal layer of ties, and the described operations are repeated. hen the car has been loaded nearly to the top, the height of the trolley track 24 is such as to render the auxiliary use of the teetering bar 40 desirable, and the latter is then adjusted by setting its lower pointed end into the ground in such a position and at such an angle as to bring the teetering bar itself slightly below the level of the track rail. The rest of the ties are then first tilted on the auxiliary teetering bar to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 and from the latter onto the trolley itself to the loading position shown by dot and dash lines in Fig. 2. The remaining ties are handled in this way until the tram is fully loaded. If the trolley track rail is raised while the auxiliary teetering bar is being used in connection therewith, the supporting strut 44 is, of course, shifted to a greater angle to the ground so as to keep the height of the teetering bar 40 relatively to the trolley substantially constant.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my invention provides a very simple, inexpensive and efficient mechanical auxiliary to the manual loading of tram cars with the ties, which greatly lightens the physical labor required and enables the work to be easily and expeditiously performed by a single workman, since it obviates the necessity of bodily lifting the ties and enables the latter to be transported and loaded onto the car by simple tilting, balancing and pushing operations which involve the manual lifting of only a portion of the Weight of the tie.

I have herein shown and described one mechanical embodiment of the principle of the invention which. in practice, has been found to satisfactorily effectuate the stated purposes and objects thereof. Manifes'tly many changes in the details thereof may be inade without departing from the principle ofthe invention orsacrificing any of the advantages thereof. Hence,I reserve all such variations, modifications and mechanical equivalents as fall within the spirit and pul view of the appended claims,

Iclairn. a j

1. In a loading appliance of the character described, the combination of a frame structure adapted to span a railway track and including a trolley track rail, a trolley mount, ed on said track rail and adapted to sup-. port a railway tie laid crosswise thereof, and a teetering bar mounted in front ofand at a lower level than said track rail and forming an intermediate support for the tie while the latter is being tilted and raised onto said trolley. j

2. In a loading applianceof the character described, the combin'ationof a frame struc tureadapted to spana railway track and including a trolley track rail, a trolley mounts ed on said trackrail and adapted to suport a railway tie laid crosswise thereof, a ointed frame articulated at its upper end to said track rail and at its lower end supported on the ground, said jointed frame projecting forwardly of said frame structure, and a teetering bar mounted coaxially with the joint of said frame and forming an intermediate support for the tie while the latter is being tilted and raised on said trolley.

, 3. In a loading appliance of the character described, the combination of a frame structure adapted to span a railway track and including a trolley track rail, a trolley, mounted on said track rail and adapted to support a railway tie laid crosswise thereof, and a teetering bar mounted in front of and at a lower level than said track rail, said teetering bar provided with spurs adapted to pierce and support the side of a tie leaned thereagainst while the latter is beink tilted and raised onto said trolley.

4. In a loading appliance of the character described, the combination of a frame structure adapted to span a railway track and including a trolley track rail, and a trolley mounted on said track rail, said trolley provided with a roller adapted to support a railway tie laid crosswise thereof and with a teetering bar in front of said roller provided with spurs adapted to pierce and support a side of a tie leaned there against while the latter is being tilted and raised onto said roller.

5. In a loading appliance of the character described. the combination of a frame structure adapted to span a railway track and including a trolleytrack rail, a teetering bar mounted in front of and at a lower level than said track rail, said teetering bar provided with spurs adapted to pierce and support the side of a tie leaned thereagalnst,

and a trolley mounted on said track rail,

said trolley provided with a roller and with an auxiliary teetering bar in front of said roller provided with spurs adapted to pierce and support a side of a tie leaned thereagainst while the-latter is'being raised off said first-named teetering bar onto said roller.

6. In a loading appliance of the character described, the combination of a frame structure adapted to span a railway track and including a vertically adjustable trolley track rail, a vertically adjustable teetering bar mounted in front of and at a lower level than said track rail and pivotally suspended from the latter, an angularly adjustable strut pivoted to said teetering bar and adapted to support the latter at varying adjusted heights corresponding to the vertical adjustments of said track rail, said teetering bar provided with spurs adapted to pierce and support the side of a tie leaned thereagainst and a trolley mounted on said track rail, said trolley provided with a roller and with an auxiliary teetering bar in front of said roller provided with spurs adapted to pierce and support a side of a tie leaned thereagainst while the latter is being raised off said first-named teetering bar onto said roller.

7. A trolley for a tie-loading appliance, comprising end frame members, track wheels mounted in said end frame members, a fixed shaft extending'between said end frame members, a roller journaled on said shaft, and a teetering bar connected to and extending between said end frame members in front of said roller.

8. A trolley for a tie-loading appliance, comprising end frame members, track wheels mounted in said end frame members, a fixed shaft extending between said end frame members, a roller journaled on said shaft, a teetering bar connected to and extending between said end frame members in front of said roller, and means for preventing backward rotation of said roller.

R. s. HURLEY. 

